DBU Baseball has been selected as the preseason favorite to capture the 2026 Conference USA championship, as announced in the league's annual CUSA Baseball Preseason Poll. The Patriots earned nine of the league's 12 first-place votes and totaled 141 points overall. The poll was voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.

DBU returns 17 lettermen from last season's squad that claimed the Conference USA regular-season title and advanced to the Baton Rouge Regional as the No. 2 seed. The Patriots also welcome an incoming class of 21 newcomers, highlighted by six transfers from NCAA Division I programs.

Chayton Krauss was named the Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year. The fifth-year senior infielder from Coppell, Texas, is a two-time First Team All-CUSA selection and has earned ABCA Central All-Region honors in each of the last two seasons. Krauss hit .332 with 15 home runs in 2025 and led the conference with 71 RBI, while ranking among the league's top 10 in six offensive categories. Defensively, Krauss established himself as one of the premier first basemen in the nation, committing just one error in 419 chances.

In addition to Krauss, DBU placed three players on the Preseason All-CUSA Team, the most of any program in the league. Joining Krauss were designated hitter Jake Bennett, right-handed pitcher Ryan Borberg, and infielder Keaton Grady.

Bennett, a senior from Louisville, Kentucky, hit .276 with 12 home runs and 34 RBI before his season was cut short by injury in late April. Borberg, a senior from Lenexa, Kansas, emerged as the Patriots' ace down the stretch and was named First Team All-CUSA after leading the conference in wins (9), WHIP (1.19), and walks allowed per nine innings (2.25). Grady, a senior infielder from Elgin, Texas, burst onto the scene in 2025, leading DBU with a .366 batting average and earning First Team All-CUSA and ABCA First Team All-Central Region honors.

The Patriots will open the 2026 season at Horner Ballpark on Friday, February 13, when DBU hosts Binghamton. First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. 2026 CUSA Baseball Preseason Poll
(First-place votes in parentheses)

1. DBU (9) – 141 points
2. Louisiana Tech (1) – 111 points
3. Kennesaw State – 108 points
4. Jacksonville State (1) – 102 points
5. WKU – 97 points
6. Missouri State – 90 points
7. Liberty – 85 points
8. FIU – 56 points
9. New Mexico State (1) – 45 points
10. Middle Tennessee – 38 points
11. Delaware – 37 points
12. Sam Houston – 26 points

2026 CUSA Preseason Awards
Preseason Player of the Year
Chayton Krauss, DBU – Sr. – INF

Preseason Pitcher of the Year
Ben Blair, Liberty – Jr. – RHP 2026 Preseason All-Conference USA Team
C: Grayson Ashe, Jacksonville State
INF: Keaton Grady, DBU
INF: Chayton Krauss, DBU
INF: Tanner Marsh, Liberty
INF: Kyle Hayes, WKU
OF: Cole Cleveland, FIU
OF: Andrew Ildefonso, FIU
OF: Caden Bogenpohl, Missouri State
DH: Jake Bennett, DBU
DH: Steve Solorzano, New Mexico State
UTL: Max Knight, Missouri State
SP: Ryan Borberg, DBU